Self-righting desk sign



ct ZiMM'ERLI. SELF RIGHTING DESK SIGN. APPLICKTION FILED APR- I3, I92].

1,420,603, v Patented June 20, 1922.

MATTORNEY.

CHARLES ZiMMER-LL'OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

- I SELF-RIGI-ITINGDESK SIGN.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES ZIMMER I, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self- Righting Desk Signs; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description. of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming-a part of this specification, and to the reference numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates tocard and sign exhibiting, and more particularly to portable signs, such as are used on ofiice desks, counters, etc., to identify persons, goods or departments, and the invention has for its object to provide a simple, neat and attractive sign of this character that will right itself when its equilibrium is disturbed.

and serve to maintain itself with the card or device which it is intended to display, unobscured. A further object of the invention is to render such a device cheap and economical to manufacture and to these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a desk sign constructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is an end view thereof; I

Figure 3 is a cross section somewhat reduced and illustrating the preferred laminated construction thereof, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

I prefer to construct the sign or card exhibitor in a solid piece comprising a body portion of prismatic form and substantially triangular in cross section as shown, the base or bottom face being indicated at 1 and the lateral or converglng side faces at 2.

Each of such side faces carries a sign card 3 and in the present instance these cards are removably and replaceably held in place by offset or overhanging shoulders 4L and 5 at the top and bottom respectively of these faces. The cards are slidably removable from these retaining devices and may be inserted therein endwiseof the body.

Specification'of Letters Patent. 1 Patentd June 20, 1922. Application filed April '13, 1921. Serial No. 461,009. 4

- I preferito construct the latter of. a pluk rality. ,of pieces, secured together forreasons that I will explain andiintlie present instance it' is formed of three piecesof wood A,'B and C glued together-or otherwise permanently attached, as best shown in Figure 8. The pieces B and C are progressively smaller. and hence naturally lighter than" the piece A because ofthe taper of the block, and I make the piecesA and C, say,

of oak orother hard and relatively heavy signs 3 will'be always in view. For this purpose the base 1 is in the form of. a'rocker, as shown, created by rounding the sides of the piece A asindicated at 6. Another advantage of the plural construction is that it reduces the cost of manufacture while retaining the desired elegance of finish on the part of the exposed parts (made of the rarer wood) which are the parts A and C, a cheaper wood being used at B.

Still another advantage is that it is easier to provide the retaining shoulders 4 and 5 which may be conveniently formed. before the parts A and C are assembled and while they are being shaped by forming grooves 7 therein along each edge, as shown.

To assist the block in righting itself as described, I prefer to provide additional curved rockers 8 at the ends which extend out laterally beyond the sign cards 3 and the faces against which they lie. In the present instance the pair of rockers at each end is formed from a substantially circularpiece of wire bent to a curve gradually conforming to and meeting with-the curves of the base rocker faces 6. The intermediate portion of the wire has an eye 9 by means of which it is screwedto thetop of the end of the body at 10, while the ends 11 are bent at right angles and driven into the body lower down.

It will be noted that the sign cards may be inserted or removed endwise through these rocker members.

I claim as my invention:

- 1. A self righting desk sign comprising a prismatic body of substantially triangular cross section, said body being Weighted upon its base face, and one of the other converging faces being provided with means for retaining and displaying a sign card.

2., A self righting desk sign comprising a prismatic body 'ofsubstantially triangular cross section made in three separate pieces secured together, the base and the apex portions being "composed of relatively heavier material than the intermediate portion.

A self righting desk si'gn comprising aprismatic body ofsubstantially triangular cross Section made in three separate pieces secured together, the base and the apex portions being composed' of relatively heavier material than the intermediate portion and being provided With grooved shoulders whereby they are adapted to jointly retain a nd'displayfa sign ca rd.

4. A self righting desk'sign comprising a prismatic-body of substantially triangular cross section: made in a, plurality of separate pieces secured together, the base portion being composed of relatively heavier material than the next adjacent portion, and means for retaining and displaying a sign card'on o'neof the lateral faces of the body.

'5. A self righting desk sign comprising aprismatic body of substantially triangular cross--section,"said body being Weighted'upon its base face constituting its bottom and beingprovided With pairs of'offset retaining flanges one'achof itslateral faces, each such pair of flanges being adapted to receive and retain a sign card inserted therein endwise of the body.

6. A self righting desk sign comprising a prismatic body of substantially triangular cross section, said body being Weighted on its base face constituting its bottom and provided With curved laterally extending rockers at each end, and means on the lateral faces of the body for retaining and displaying-sign cards.

7. A self righting desk sign comprising a prismatic body of substantially triangular cross section, said body being Weighted on its base face constituting its bottom and provided with curved laterally rocker-s ateach end, and means onthe lateral faces of the body for retaining-anddisplaying sign cards insertable and removable end- Wise through the rocker-s.

8. A self righting desk sign comprising a prismatic body of substantially triangular cross section, said body being weighted 011 its base face constituting its bottom and providedwith curved laterally extending rockers at each end, and means on thelateralfaces of the body for retaining and display ing sign: cards, said rockers'embodying sub stantially circular Wires having their 1ntermediate portions and their end portions anchored in the respective end faces of the body.

CHARLES ZIMM-ERLI.

extending- 

